Glucerna Shake Vs. Atkins Shake

by
AGLAEE JACOB Last Updated: Aug 15, 2015

Aglaee Jacob

Aglaee Jacob is a registered dietitian. She has experience working with people who have diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and obesity issues. Jacob obtained a bachelor of science and a master of science, both in nutrition, from Laval University in Quebec City, Canada.

A vanilla shake on a table.Photo Credit HandmadePictures/iStock/Getty Images

Whether you are watching your carbohydrate intake to get your blood sugar levels under control and better manage your diabetes, or following a low-carb eating plan to lose weight, there is a large variety of products on the market to help you if you need snack or meal replacement options. Glucerna and Atkins are two examples of brands selling such products.

Use

The Glucerna shake is marketed to people with diabetes to help them control their A1C, or average blood sugar levels. It can be taken as a snack or occasional meal replacement. Glucerna is lactose-free and gluten-free. The Atkins shakes are mainly marketed to dieters following the low-carb Atkins diet and these shakes can be taken as a low-carb snack option suitable for the Atkins diet.

Carbohydrate

A can, or 8 fluid oz., of Glucerna provides a total of 27 g carbohydrates and 5 g fiber, which corresponds to an available carbohydrate content, or net carb content, of 22 g per serving. Available carbohydrate represents the amount of carbohydrate utilizable to the body and that contributes to elevating blood sugar levels. Available carbs can be calculated by removing the grams of dietary fiber from the total grams of carbohydrates. One serving of an Atkins shake contains 11 fl. oz and provides between 2 and 6 g carbohydrates, 1 and 4 g fiber and 1 and 2 g net carbs.